Harvard University – The Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning

Harvard’s Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning (VPAL) seeks to shape the future of education by discovering new ways to build the competence, curiosity, and confidence of learners on our campuses and around the world. We create engaging and scalable learning experiences, cultivate inspiring ideas, and connect a global community of learners while developing tools, technologies, platforms, and policies to reduce friction throughout the learning lifecycle. At VPAL, we propel learning and connection by innovating and driving pedological advances, enabling and inspiring new ideas and approaches, creating and developing engaging online content, and measuring and analyzing impact and outcome across education. Our Harvard Online courses bring an extensive catalog of expertise and research to learners around the globe as well as well as curated series that combine faculty and disciplines from across the university. Our Data Science & Technology team combines expertise in data science, data engineering, software development, and education research to produce analytics and tools that help to transform the entire teaching and learning life cycle. Through the Harvard Initiative for Learning and Teaching (HILT), we forge University-wide collaborations to surface teaching and learning innovations that require the combined efforts of individual students, faculty, and staff, and the coordination of programs, centers, departments, and Schools. Throughout our work, VPAL is committed to convening and nurturing a diverse community dedicated to promoting inclusive excellence and leadership in teaching and learning. We celebrate, welcome, and honor all backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values. We strive to ensure that all feel included in our mission, our work, and our learning inside and outside our organization.